99 Countour Deal - No Keys - Cost for replacement?

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901Memphis

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I have a chance to get a fairly decent deal on a 1999 Ford Contour in decent condition i believe 130k miles on it, but there are a couple catches. The owner lost the only copy of the key he had and just wants to get rid of it, so i would have to get it re keyed for the door and ignition. Plus i would have to get it towed to the shop unless this is something where i can hot wire it after getting the local sheriff to let us in??? Maybe even a permanent fix with a kill switch instead of a key??

Does anyone know if this is a DIY job for this car or how much it would cost if its even possible?

The car is in fairly good shape both mechanically and cosmetically except for 1 small problem.... The reverse band is broken on the transmission. The car works and drives beautifully and shifts great except for no reverse. I was here the day the reverse went out and the fluid is nice and pink no problems there, it hasn't been officially diagnosed yet, all i know is hes been driving it for a year perfectly without reverse.

The owner only wants $200 for the car, which would make it a perfect back and forth to work 5 miles each way car for me which means i wont have to get a car payment!
 
That's a PATS car...good luck. PATS is integrated into the body control module...not a quick and easy bypass I don't think.

At this point the dealer or someone else with the appropriate scan tool will have to do it. Call local locksmiths (ones who specialize in automotive preferably) and see what they say.

I believe bdcardinal said that Ford is now requiring an open RO to release a key code, and they may not even have a key code on file for a '99.

You're probably looking at $150-200 minimum to deal with this. Could go higher.
 
The easiest thing to do is to get a licensed & bonded locksmith to make you a replacement key. They have a gunlike tool that is inserted into the door lock or trunk lock tumbler which can replicate the key shape. They use this template to re-cut a new key. The only issue is whether the Contour has a chipped security key which they can encrypt with a programmer, albeit at a significant premium. If the key isn't chipped, the locksmith approach is probably cheaper than replacing the door, trunk & ignition locksets.
 
200$ will get you a great bicycle. A 200$ 16 yr old Ford with no keys or reverse. Burn the money, it will be less painful. Says the owner of a 600$, 21 yr old Ford.
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Called a bonded locksmith, he said he can replicate me 2 keys on the current tumblers and code them for $180 if its all 1 key for the ignition/doors/trunk

Anyone know how much it would cost to get the reverse gear fixed if everything else shifts good? It could just be a shift solenoid or band?
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Called a bonded locksmith, he said he can replicate me 2 keys on the current tumblers and code them for $180 if its all 1 key for the ignition/doors/trunk

Anyone know how much it would cost to get the reverse gear fixed if everything else shifts good? It could just be a shift solenoid or band?
figure about $2300+ for a trans rebuild
 
Reverse is way overrated. For $200 reverse is a bonus luxury option.

On the other hand, there is a large window between $200 and a car payment. Maybe something a little less problematic for $2000?
 
Originally Posted By: Roadkingnc
The labor would be the same to remove and repair the trans or rebuild it. It still has to be disassembled.


Yeah i figured that, but i could also swap in a used transmission and hope its in better shape.
 
I dumped my '95 contour a long time ago, it was starting to fall apart before 100k. For the key, you should call the dealer if it's PATs, I know when I made a second key for a Taurus, the dealer was cheaper than a locksmith. Most of them wanted to charge me 1 hour, but I found one that was willing to do it for a half hour of labor. I don't know how you get around without reverse unless you're in an area where parking is easy, I use it all the time to get out of a parking spot or to park on the street.
 
So the only thing wrong with this car, that you can't test drive, is that it has no keys and no reverse?
$200.00 is awfully cheap for a running car that doesn't sound too bad otherwise.
If the transaxle has no reverse, then what else is waiting to die?
Maybe every forward gear?
OTOH, two hundred bucks is cheap for a runner and if you can get a set of keys for another two hundred or so, then you wouldn't have much more than scrap value in a running daily driver.
Reverse is overrated.
Just try really hard to avoid parking or driving into places where you'll have to push the car back to get out.
There always remains the faithful armstrong reverse and a Contour isn't very heavy.
 
I say go for it and park where you can pull straight out and call some more locksmiths. I wouldn't put a tranny in it until forward dies too.
 
Might be able to talk him down to $150, which is what a scrap guy offered him.

I got a better look at it its only for 118k and surprisingly better condition as far as rust goes compared to my 99 Taurus with 145k.

It has some scrapes on the driver front fender and door and hood but otherwise nothing major dinged.

I did notice that all four tires are mismatched two are fairly new one needs replaced by winter and the other is in the middle I'd say.

I think I'm going to give it a shot, I park on a hill at my apartment and I can arrange parking at work too with something spots on an incline or the far away spots i can can pull head in to the front exit so I don't have to reverse.


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At scrap value, why not.

These are nice driving cars when they are sorted out. My dad bought a '98 SE V6 new. It was really a great handling and driving car for what it was. Around 75K miles the CEL came on for something, but the car got totalled before that was resolved (Jeep Cherokee slammed into it at 35 MPH). Actually it got repaired first, but the shop cut a lot of corners. Suspension problems and electrical problems that nearly caught it on fire got it totalled finally. I'm sure they ran it through an auction, so who knows what happened after that. Before the wreck it was a good car though and fun to drive. 170 HP was a good amount for a car that size/weight and it didn't handle like a Taurus.
 
He won't budge off $200 now that he knows I'm interested, I guess I won't complain. I am going to try to get an appointment with the locksmith for Monday or Tuesday he's pretty backed up and will make some other calls too to see if i can get a key cheaper than $180.

He bought it 2 years ago from a dealership for $1500 and it hasn't had an oil change his entire ownership, but he only lives half a mile from his work so he thinks it doesn't have many miles on the oil but he did top it off once a year ago. Gosh I sure hope the dealer changed it right before it was sold.

I will be eager to see the title mileage vs the current mileage which should be how long the oci is... Maybe even send a sample off for uoa to check for anything wild like coolant leaks or high bearing wear.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Can't get a key code for that year, can only get them for 2006 and newer Ford/Lincoln/Mercury vehicles currently.


I still have the key code that I got with my 1995 Ford Escort when I bought it new....
 
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